The power loadshedding dispute in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has escalated significantly, prompting Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to personally intervene by storming a grid station and forcibly restoring electricity, as reported on Wednesday.
In a decisive move to address the crisis, Gandapur visited the Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan) grid station to oversee the restoration of power. During his visit, he announced a stringent loadshedding schedule, limiting outages to a maximum of 12 hours per area.
Addressing the press earlier, CM Gandapur criticized the federal government for withholding approximately Rs1,600 billion in dues owed to the provincial government. He expressed frustration over the federal government’s failure to respond to his attempts to discuss the matter, highlighting a lack of cooperation.
Gandapur emphasized the province’s right to manage its own affairs and instructed the KP police not to comply with requests from Wapda (Water and Power Development Authority) to file cases against anyone involved in restoring power. He stressed that the police should act fairly and uphold the province’s interests.
Furthermore, Gandapur announced plans to take the issue to Islamabad, indicating his intention to escalate the matter nationally if necessary. He also criticized Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for seeking provincial support on international matters while neglecting the financial dues owed to KP.
The incident involving MPA Fazal Elahi, who forcefully restored power at the Rehman Baba grid station in Peshawar, added to the tension. Despite an FIR being registered regarding the incident, officials from Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) reported significant financial losses due to the action, underscoring the disruptive impact of such unauthorized interventions.
Overall, the developments underscored the deepening crisis over power management in KP, characterized by political interventions and escalating tensions between provincial and federal authorities.
